Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Blaise PascalRead
A man does not show his greatness by being at one extremity, but rather by touching both at once.
Interpretation
True greatness is about balance and understanding both extremes of a situation.
In this quote, Blaise Pascal emphasizes that a truly great person is not defined by their position at one extreme of a spectrum, but rather by their ability to comprehend and connect with both ends. This balance allows for a deeper understanding of life, circumstances, and human experiences, reflecting a nuanced perspective that is essential for genuine greatness.
In practice
This quote could be used in a motivational speech about personal growth and understanding ambiguity.
Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
If we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.
Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.
Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.
If he exalts himself, I humble him. If he humbles himself, I exalt him. And I go on contradicting him Until he understands That he is a monster that passes all understanding.
What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?
Instead of imposing your will on every situation...focus on including everyone else, and just that little adjustment of attitude gives you the space to understand where and who you are.
I certainly have a lot to lament, as do we all, everybody has their griefs. But the griefs we can fix, shouldn't we go around fixing them?
Bacchus, that first from out the purple grape_x000D_ _x000D_ Crush'd the sweet poison of misused wine.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.
There's lots of things you don't know. All kinds of strange things . . . mostly they happened before we were born: that makes them seem to me so much more real.
You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace.
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